


Sunrise

by Kazura



Category: Show By Rock!! - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 16:50:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13439073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kazura/pseuds/Kazura
Summary: Titan has had quite enough of feeling alone.





	Sunrise

Never in Titan’s life would he have imagined that he’d be watching Orion peer at ice cream cups at a convenience store, but here he is, standing next to his lover, who’s trying to decide whether to buy strawberry or chocolate ice cream.

“Orion,” Titan says, “those are going to start melting if you don’t make a decision soon. Honestly, they’d love either.”

“Is that so? Hm. What would you like then?” Orion asks, holding up the cups for Titan to see more closely.

“Me?”

His tail swaying in a languid rhythm behind him, Orion hums in thought. “I recall you like strawberries. Does that apply to ice cream as well?”

Titan shrugs. “Sure.”

“Strawberry it is,” he says, putting the chocolate ice cream back and getting two other cups of the strawberry.

He’s about to close the freezer when Titan seizes his upper arm. “What about you?”

Orion just stares at him blankly. “What about me?”

“Nickel’s going to try to share his with you if you don’t get one for yourself, you know,” Titan says, smiling wryly.

For a brief moment, Orion’s eyes widen. “That’s unacceptable. Very well,” he concedes, taking another.

Titan reaches for the cups after Orion finally slides the freezer closed, but Orion twists his body away in defiance. “I’ll pay for these myself.”

“At least let me—”

“I will be intruding on your family, so it’s only right for me to offer gifts in exchange,” Orion says, holding his head up high. He would have probably looked completely dignified, if he weren’t cradling four ice cream cups in his arms. “The point would be completely moot if you insist on paying even for your share.”

Holding back the chuckle was possible, but preventing the smile isn’t. It used to be so easy. But whenever he’s with Orion these days, it becomes harder and harder to keep his many masks on.

Orion beams triumphantly, when Titan withdraws his hand. “Do you have anything you would wish to purchase?”

“No, I’m good.”

“Very well. Won’t you wait for me?”

“Yeah, of course.” He wasn’t sure, the first time Orion said he’d go to the counter on his own. He’s hardly a child, but Orion does have a flair for the dramatics, and catching more attention is the last thing that Titan wants to do in this neighborhood.

But Orion insisted. “I want to know what it’s like,” he said. “I want to understand.” And he keeps saying it, even with the most mundane things. Titan would have been fine with it, if Orion didn’t tag along with him whenever he shops for groceries or if he didn’t walk the streets with Titan even when he has the option to call Jii or any of this family’s servants for a ride. But he’s been so determined that Titan hardly has the heart to discourage him.

For the most part, Titan even enjoys watching him. It’s hard for him not to. Not when Orion always has a wide smile on his face after every experience.

This time is no exception.

As Titan waits for Orion, his eyes wander the store. They aren’t the only customers around, but the only ones Titan has seen are an elderly myumon who’s peering at discounted convenience store lunches, and the slouched teenage boy standing ahead of Orion in line. Neither seems to care about them. Not even the cashier, whose face Titan’s already familiar with.

Maybe it helps, that the weather’s been notoriously scorching as of late. Nights are kinder, cooler, but days often sap far too much energy from most that, by the end of it, many would really rather rush on home and get some rest, even Titan.

And yet, that doesn’t stop Orion from returning to his side with a refreshing smile. “Shall we?”

From there, it’s only a short walk to Titan’s apartment. It would be even shorter, if Jii were there to drive them, but Jii having been forced by Orion’s parents to finally, finally take a vacation is the reason why Orion’s going to spend this evening and the next day over at Titan’s small apartment in the first place.

Over the course of their relationship, Titan has come to find out how easy it is for Orion to feel lonely. He puts up masks, different ones from Titan’s, but masks all the same, if only to hide what he’d rather not show to anyone else.

Loneliness is one of them. Surrounded he may be by servants who cater to his every whim, if Jii weren’t around, he would lose his closest confidant. He and Argon and Selen may be a call away, but Orion’s not really one to show his weakness, even to them. Not until he’s well past his limits, on the verge of collapsing onto himself.

But being granted a closer look, Titan has learned how to identify strained smiles from genuine ones, and the more he sees the strained kind, the more frustrated he gets.

It’s not that he doesn’t understand. He does. He feels the same way. Maybe it’s because he understands that he feels as frustrated as he does.

He can’t bear the sight of Orion on his lonesome, after all.

As they approach the vicinity of his worn down apartment, Titan has to tear himself away from his thoughts, if only to take a cautious look around in order to ensure that no one has caught sight of them. Orion, in contrast to the first few times when he just marched on, stops in his tracks to wait for him.

“Titan?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Everything seems to be all right at least.

Despite Titan’s best efforts to step lightly, the rusted stairs leading up to his apartment still complains under their combined weight. It doesn’t really bother him, when he’s climbing them alone, but embarrassment still floods him every time Orion hears even a single creak. To his surprise, ever since the first time, Orion’s never really said anything about it.

In a way, that’s more frightening than knowing what he thinks of it at all.

Still, he’s here. It’s not the first time. And Titan wants to believe that it won’t be the last either.

After stepping into his apartment and holding the door open for Orion, Titan calls out, “Balt, Nickel, I’m home!”

Not a second has passed, and he already hears the small pitter-patter of feet. “Welcome home!” they chorus, with Balt at the lead and Nickel right behind him.

“Ori-oniitama! You’re here, too!” Nickel cheers, running for Orion and clinging to his leg. Looking up, he beams. “Hello!”

The first few times Orion interacted with his brothers, it was with utter surprise then, that Titan found himself watching him fumble around with his words, completely uncertain on how to communicate with them. He seemingly gave up, after a while, often just leaving Selen and Argon to play with them instead.

But now, after more than a year of trying, Orion offers Nickel a natural smile and reaches down to pat him on the head with his free hand. “Hello,” he even says.

He’s managing now, somehow.

“Orion has something for you,” Titan says, smiling gently.

“Ah, yes,” Orion says, peering into his bag, as if to make sure the cups are still there, before holding it out for Nickel to take. “Here. It’s the least I can do, as I’ll be intruding on your home today as well.”

Nickel lets out a delighted gasp. “Ice cream! There’s enough for everyone!” he says, showing the contents of the bag to Balt.

“Thank you, Orion-san,” Balt says, giving Orion a wide smile.

“Let’s have dinner so we can eat those for dessert then.” Titan says, dropping a pair of guest slippers right next to Orion’s feet. “Why don’t you put those in the freezer for now, Nickel? Balt, help him please.”

“Okay!” they say, rushing off in the direction of the kitchen.

As the sounds of their footsteps disappear further into the apartment, Titan glances at Orion, who’s just finished putting his shoes aside. “Told you they’d love it.”

“Perhaps I’ll come to know them well enough someday that I no longer need to ask,” Orion says quietly.

Behind closed doors, Titan reaches for Orion’s hand and gives it a brief yet gentle squeeze. “You will.”

* * *

Later that night, after checking up on his brothers to ensure that they’re sleeping well, Titan finds Orion standing next to the window facing the heart of the city. With his glasses clutched in one hand, he’s pressing his phone against his ear with the other.

In the dark quiet of the room, Titan can still hear his whispers, even as he waits for the call to end from a few feet away.

“You needn’t worry, Mother,” Orion says, his frown illuminated by the faraway lights of the city. “No, it’s all right. Yes—No, there wasn’t any need for me to. I’ve already left clothes the last time I stayed here. Of course, I apologized. Why would I not? Titan says it’s fine. Yes. I will. Yes, as soon as I wake up tomorrow. I promise. Yes. Good night, Mother. I do hope you sleep well.”

As soon as Orion ended the call and slipped his phone into the breast pocket of his shirt, he sighs and braces his folded arms against the windowsill.

“Everything all right?” Titan asks, walking up next to him.

“Titan,” Orion says, turning his head to blink at him. “Yes, yes, of course. Mother’s simply saying the usual.”

“She’s your mother,” Titan says, trying not to think of his own by distracting himself with gently prying off Orion’s glasses from beneath his curled fingers. “I don’t think she’ll ever stop worrying. Especially since you don’t have your butler with you right now.”

Orion, however, has other ideas. Furrowing his brow at the floor, he murmurs, “Do you…do you ever hear from your mother?”

Biting his lower lip, Titan tries to look at anything else other than Orion. He settles for the glasses in his hand. “She’s…they’re allowed to call, sometimes. Mother mentioned once that it’s…it’s some kind of reward.” For behaving? Doing their job well? He’s not really quite sure, and his parents have always been keen on asking how he and his brothers have been doing rather than talking about their own situation.

He understands. He’s not going to blame them for that.

“Hey,” he says, when he finds an unreadable expression on Orion’s face as he finally looks at him again. With a smile, he gives Orion his glasses back and pushes it up his nose. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” He already told him, after all, how he’s going to deal with the matter using his own strength.

Orion seizes his hand before he can let it fall. “If there’s anything I can do, let me know. You will, won’t you?”

His smile falters. “You’re already doing a lot,” he says, cursing his own voice for shaking. “You’re still here, after all.”

“Titan,” Orion breathes, staring in shock.

He’s said as much already. Before he can consider to do otherwise, he continues. “I thought I…I thought I could do this alone,” he admits. “But I… It’s not exactly easy. But now that I have you, it’s…it somehow is, even just a little. I don’t know. I can’t explain why. But if you….”

If Orion could just let Titan walk beside him…

With everything that he’s been through, and is still going through, he doesn’t really want to ask for too much. Ever since the day he and his family had been thrust into their current predicament, he’s decided that asking anyone for anything won’t get him anywhere. He has to take, to claw his way up from the pit he’s found himself in and earn his right at the top by relying on himself alone.

But he’s not alone. Not really. Not anymore. Not after the birth of Arcareafact. And certainly not after Orion has accepted him for who he is, despite all the lies he had piled up to keep himself from falling off of the edge.

And Orion only keeps giving. He only keeps trying. As if he’s the one who needs to prove himself and not the other way around.

Titan’s never really been sure, what he did to deserve him. Him, his attention, his affections. But Orion has offered all of it, offered all of himself to someone like him, and he has done so far too earnestly that Titan can’t help feeling scared.

What if he loses him? What if he slips away from Titan’s fingers, just as Titan’s only really learning how to cherish him properly?

The thought alone drives him to tighten his hold.

“Titan?”

“Ah,” he says, realizing how painful his grip must be around Orion’s hand. He moves to let go, but Orion only catches his hand again and gives it a squeeze.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Orion vows, his gaze strong and resolute. “Not anymore. You asked me to support you and your piano, correct?”

Not really trusting himself to speak, he just nods.

“Then I shall devote myself to doing exactly that,” Orion says, reaching for Titan’s cheek with his other hand. “I will stay, for as long as you want me to. Just tell me what you need me to do, and I shall do it to the best of my abilities.”

Leaning into Orion’s touch, Titan closes his eyes and hums. “Now who’s spoiling who?” he asks, his voice a hoarse whisper.

“You’ve been working so hard, Titan,” Orion says. “I thought I knew how much, when, in truth, I was only seeing what you wanted us to see. But if you’re telling me that this is indeed what you want, then I’ll be more than happy to stay by your side.”

“I don’t want you to do this just because I asked,” Titan says through gritted teeth as he peers up at Orion.

But Orion dispels his worries with a shake of his head. “I’m not. Far from it. I want this as well. I have, for a long time.”

Titan makes an attempt at a smile. “How long is long?”

“Ah,” he says, and Titan dare says he looks rather bashful. “I’m not quite sure of the exact date, to tell you the truth. I have always been looking at you, since the academy. But…I’m not certain if my feelings were already of this nature back then. I just…I just know that I couldn’t take my eyes off you, and that I wanted you to look at me the same way. For you to…to acknowledge that I have the right to stand beside you.”

His bison. His silly, silly bison. “Of course, you do,” he says, squeezing Orion’s hand.

Orion chuckles. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t have believed you, if I were my younger self just now.”

“Do I have to keep telling you until you believe me then?”

It could just be the city lights, but Titan’s sure Orion blushes, an endearing shade of pink dusting his cheeks. “Ah, no, that’s…that’s all right. I believe you.”

Titan leans forward to press a brief but firm kiss against Orion’s lips anyway. “Do you really?”

“It’s…it’s not you,” Orion sputters, staring down at their interlaced fingers. “This is…. It’s simply hard to believe that this is real, sometimes. I always thought you didn’t care much about me or my violin. I suppose you can say that I’ve only ever thought of this happening as a dream within a dream.”

Titan could tell him the same thing.

He often told himself that it would be fine, if their relationship didn’t progress to this extent. He would have been content with simply playing music with Orion, just as long as Orion is actually there. He would still be by his side.

After all, it was rather difficult for him to imagine that Orion would still keep looking at him, if he and the others ever found out about Titan’s true situation.

Yet he still does. If there’s anything here that’s hard to believe, it’s Orion’s willingness to stay by his side.

But if Orion himself is going to say something like that….

“This is real,” Titan says, as much to himself as to Orion. “You have me now. And…and you’ll have me tomorrow. And the day after that.” He doesn’t say forever. Not yet. Titan can’t shake the feeling that doing as much will invite the world to find a way to take Orion from him.

He still can’t stop himself from wanting him though.

As if to say that it’s fine to, Orion whispers, “And you have me,” before capturing his lips in a chaste kiss.

* * *

With sunlight streaming through the windows and Orion’s unmistakable calls of his name the following day, Titan cracks his eyes open to the sight of Orion sitting down next to his futon and already looking as perfect as always.

Illegal, that.

Oblivious to his plight, Orion gives him a bright smile. “Good morning, Titan.”

“Why are you always awake before me?” he mumbles, leering. He’s pretty sure Orion didn’t set up an alarm. He would have heard and waken up then, too, if he did.

Orion, the fiend, just chuckles. “You work harder than I do.”

“You work hard, too.”

Still smiling, Orion leans down, but Titan stops him with a finger over his lips. “Haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” he murmurs, before patting Orion’s cheek.

Orion just takes that hand and kisses his fingers.

A giggle reminds him that they’re not alone, and Titan takes that as his cue to roll out of his futon before his brothers see more embarrassing displays of affection.

It’s another day. Another day of them being together.

He’ll try his best to cherish this one, too.

**Author's Note:**

> Don’t tell Titan, but Orion wakes up before him because a futon is hardly as soft as his own bed back in his family’s super large estate. It’s not rare for him to wake up in the middle of the night whenever he stays over.
> 
> If you like what I write, feel free to yell about these dorks with me [here](https://twitter.com/songsofthestars). For more ways to find me, [here's my Carrd](https://artwaltzed.carrd.co/).


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